Matchmaking at the Public Kitchen & Bar

This is a pairing that always leads to happiness: fresh oysters coupled with bubbly champagne at the Public Kitchen & Bar at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

Milk and cookies, macaroni and cheese, bacon and just about anything — like Lennon and McCartney, when in a pair, something magical can happen. One of life’s greatest pairings — and pleasures — is the quintessential combination of champagne and oysters, and right in time for the holidays, Public Kitchen & Bar is offering a special selection of beloved bubbly and bivalves every night throughout the month of December.

To that I say, “Tis the season!”

Let’s start with the festive fizz of champagne, the extravagant effervescence that tickles the nose and delights the senses. Pour me a glass of those beautiful bubbles and I can’t help but giggle. Throw in some chilled oysters on the half shell and I’m beyond giddy.

Needless to say, I was beaming ear to ear as I sampled the restaurant’s smile-inducing, endorphin-producing assortment of champagne and West Coast and East Coast oysters.

I enjoyed Belon, Kusshi, Kumamoto, Phantom Creek and Salt Pond accompanied by a Meyer lemon and tarragon mignonette. I saw my favorite oyster on the menu, the Malpeque from Prince Edward Island, Canada, but it wasn’t available on this particular evening. However, the selections rotate on a daily basis, so you might encounter any combination of those above, plus Coromandel, Fanny Bay, Hood Canal, Raspberry Point and Wellfleet.

The flavor profiles present a nice range, from the sweet flavor and honeydew finish of the Kumamoto to the mild brininess and potent coppery tang of the Belon. Be adventurous and order a variety to compare the salinity, complexity, flavor and finish for yourself. Get a half dozen for $14, nine oysters for $20, or a dozen for $28.

Then, pop the cork! The restaurant’s top-tier selections are offered by the glass or by the bottle.

Whether you choose the creamy, toasty, biscuity aromas and flavors of champagne or the light, dry bubbliness of cava, I promise that your evening will be quite the sparkly affair. Public Kitchen & Bar manages to avoid what could come off as a pretentious experience and instead makes it approachable and refreshingly fun. The mood at this big, friendly brasserie lives up to its “food for the people” mantra. The warmly lit space is comfortable and inviting. It exudes old Hollywood glamour and charm while projecting a modern-day lightness and brightness.

So, yes, the holidays are here, and that’s always a great reason to celebrate with champagne and oysters. In fact, I encourage you. But, may I leave you with one pearl of wisdom? You don’t need an excuse to indulge in this wonderfully decadent duo; just go. Because you made that deadline. Because you didn’t. Because it’s Tuesday. Or, best of all, just because.

Michelle Gigon is the Food, Wine & Spirits Editor for Singular magazine and the leader of SingularCity’s Girls, Guys and Grapes group. On her list of favorite things are (A) discovering memorable epicurean experiences and (B) telling people about them. A former brand agent at CAA, Michelle is also a freelance creative director on lifestyle marketing programs for Lexus, Nestlé, TV Land and Aspen Food & Wine Classic.